A premier all-hazards emergency preparedness organization serving nine counties across South Central Pennsylvania — planning, preventing, responding to, and recovering from events that exceed local capabilities.
The SCTF assumes a leadership role in delivering a comprehensive and sustainable regional all-hazards emergency preparedness program that addresses planning, prevention, response and recovery for events in South Central PA that exceed local capabilities.
The SCTF will be the premier and enduring all-hazards emergency preparedness task force that collaborates and coordinates both public and private sector resources for regional solutions that provide support to communities when events exceed their capabilities.
Formed in Late 1990s and granted authorities under the PA Counterterrorism Planning, Preparedness and Response Act 227-2002, the SCTF is comprised of public safety, non-governmental, and private sector organizations from nine counties. Financial support is provided through the U.S. DHS Homeland Security Grant Program.
Click any county to visit their Emergency Management office.
The nine highlighted counties represent the SCTF coverage area. Click any county to visit their Emergency Management office.
The SCTF coordinates regional capabilities to support member counties across South Central Pennsylvania.
The SCTF plans, coordinates, and delivers regional training programs and full-scale exercises funded through the DHS Homeland Security Grant Program to build and sustain regional readiness.
Regional all-hazards planning supports prevention, mitigation, response, and recovery across all nine counties with coordinated plans and resources to address threats and hazards of all types.
The SCTF coordinates regional capabilities across South Central Pennsylvania through focused functional areas and dedicated working groups.
Coordinates regional all-hazards planning efforts including Hazard Vulnerability Assessments, Regional Emergency Operations Plans, and continuity planning. Provides guidance and resources to member counties to strengthen planning and preparedness across all mission areas.
Representatives from all nine member counties participate, with primary and backup county contacts designated for each jurisdiction.
Leads public awareness, community preparedness, and stakeholder outreach efforts across the region. Coordinates communications between the SCTF and the communities it serves, supporting public education and engagement initiatives.
Representatives from all nine member counties participate, with primary and backup county contacts designated for each jurisdiction.
Addresses regional information sharing, situational awareness, and intelligence coordination. Works to ensure timely and accurate information flows across disciplines and jurisdictions to support regional situational awareness and decision-making.
Representatives from all nine member counties participate, with primary and backup county contacts designated for each jurisdiction.
Links critical SCTF business priorities with investment in technology and information.
Coordinates regional interoperable communications planning and technology across all nine member counties. Focuses on radio systems, communications infrastructure, interoperability standards, and ensuring reliable communication between disciplines and jurisdictions during day-to-day operations and emergencies.
Includes dedicated committee leadership and county representatives, with ongoing coordination with state and federal communications partners.
Facilitates regional mutual aid, resource typing, equipment tracking, and logistics coordination. Ensures that resources can flow efficiently across county lines during incidents that exceed local capabilities.
Resource Coordination is supported by Emergency Support Function (ESF) subcommittees covering key regional disciplines:
Building and sustaining relationships through collaboration and partnerships to better enable service providers.
Enabling specialized resources through equipping, training, exercise and supporting mission execution.
Enabling specialize resources through equipping, training, exercise and supporting mission execution.
Fosters collaboration, cooperation & info sharing across the SCTF CJ stakeholders while supporting trainings, exercises and closing equipment gaps of recognized special teams.
Develops and coordinates the regional training and exercise program, including scheduling, needs assessments, and after-action improvement planning. Manages DHS-funded training opportunities for member county personnel across all disciplines.
Representatives from all nine member counties participate. The committee also maintains a roster of Master Exercise Practitioners (MEPs) available as regional resources.
Expands SCTF's reach across the whole community — including business, industry, infrastructure, agriculture, and non-governmental partners — to strengthen regional resilience and integrate diverse stakeholders into preparedness efforts.
Enabling collaboration across the Business, Industry & Infrastructure Communities while actively engaging with NGOs, Public Safety partners and Intel Community.
The Ag Community is a dominating contributor to the South Central economy & an integrated partner in mitigation, preparedness & response to continually evolving threats.
Regional training events, exercises, and meetings for SCTF member counties and partner organizations.